Author's Note: I like writing heterosexual pairings, so this is what I will be doing. In my first Hetalia fan fiction, I had Canada using '-san' when she addresses Denmark and someone semi-criticised me for doing that by pointing out that it is unrealistic. However, I disagree. First of all, in the anime, Spain actually addresses North Italy as 'Ita-chan', while Austria calls North Italy 'Italy-kun'.
A word of warning: Romano is very different in this story while there are hints of Spain's dark nature.
The gun was raised and fixed to the target, yet the fingers were not pulling the trigger, nor were the hands that held the gun completely steady. However, she did not change her position.
Her mouth parted; about to say the words that would destroy the idyllic scene that he managed to create for them.
It was a scene that many would envy: a nice sunny house with the owner of the house whistling cheerfully as he dice the tomato.
"Ah, Romano, you arrived just at the right time!" Spain said cheerfully and he seemed completely oblivious to all that was going on. However, he then said the following without his tone changing at all. "Surely what you need to say to me does not have to be said with you pointing a gun at me."
"…you know?" due to her surprise, she did not say the words that she had carefully rehearsed.
"Who am I?" as he had his back facing her, she could not see his expression. Yet she was sure that he would look very different.
"Spain."
But who was Spain? Not only did she have to ask herself that question, she realised that she did not know the answer.
"So, will you put the gun down?"
This tone was not unlike the tone that he would use when he offered her a tomato or ask her to do some housework. Normally, she would have snapped back with a 'or what?'. Today, however, she was not very sure.
"I was not going to shoot." Much to her surprise, this was said with genuine sincerity due to her worry at being misunderstood by him. "But I wish for you to know my resolution.
"Resolution…is it?" she was sure that this was said with a very strange smile even though she was not able to see his expression. "Resolution for Italy to be free is different from the resolution of South Italy being free."
"I am ready." She declared out once more.
"…I think not." this was said in a voice that she barely recognised, as it was very different. It was Spain's voice, but it was as if he was a completely different person.
Romano was not sure about what happened, but Spain made a move and before she could do anything, her gun has been knocked onto the floor and a knife was placed right against her throat.
"Ready? I think not."
There was a coldness to Spain's eyes that actually made her very afraid. Even though that gaze was then gone, his normal expression did not come back. Instead, it was a very sad one.
"Little Romano…you have grown up, but not completely." Spain finally said as he placed the kitchen knife down. "But then, one is never grown up enough."
"…my mind has not changed." She declared out, picking up her gun and clutching onto it tightly.
"You will fight Austria to free your brother? Austria…Austria is not that powerful by himself, but he always has someone who can protect him well. Therefore, do not think that it would be very easy."
"I will reunite Italy."
"What do you want me to do then?" calmly, as if none of this had happened, Spain resumed preparing dinner. As if that was not enough, she noticed that he was actually making two people's portion. "What did you want me to do?"
"I thought that you might stop me." She said honestly, but she then suddenly sneered. "Or it is because you have no use for the South part of Italy, just like Austria chose to take the Northern part?"
She regretted the words the moment she said them, because she could still remember how Spain had been punished when he saved her from Turkey.
"It is the opposite. Romano…little Romano, do you still remember Queen Joanna?" Spain mentioned the same boss that the other was thinking of, although his reason was different. "I watched her becoming mad…I watched how she drove away the one that she sought to keep. The more she refused to let him go…the more determined he was in escaping. On that day, I vowed that I would not make that mistake."
"And so you will let me go?"
"Because that is the only way that I might not lose you." Spain said simply. "Romano, I would even help you if you wish. There would be no catch. I promise."
She stared at him for a very long time and he knew that she was trying to see what she did not even suspect to exist until now.
Finally, she spoke and that voice was so soft that it simply did not seem like her voice.
"I don't understand you, Spain."
"You understand if you can see. However, I did not let you see. I will not let you see."
There was a time when the Italians twins might have been mistaken for one another despite their different gender. At that time, such a thing would have been possible if you dressed them in the same way and made them both stay silent.
However, this was no longer possible. Spain knew that he would never be able to mistake the two of them again.
Romano with the gun in her hand, fighting for freedom.
Veneziano, who was tied up meekly as the hostage.
If Romano was in her brother's position, then she would have been fighting and spitting.
"Austria, release my brother." She demanded.
She was in a mess- blood was splashed all over her torn uniform, and her hair was plastered to her face due to what was hopefully sweat. However, she proudly stood beside Spain.
As he turned to her, Austria did not feel any surprise. That the girl who had spat at him, as well as biting him, would be in this position.
He did not expect it, but once he saw it, he was merely surprised at his own folly for not understanding that expression.
Most of all, the two Italy siblings were much too different.
However, Austria was Austria.
"No."
"Romano, let me do this." Spain said suddenly. However, his sunny smile disappeared when he faced her. "It is the last thing that I can do as your boss."
She should have refused- she should have screamed at him for interfering with her own affairs.
However, she nodded.
"Austria- let it go. It is time to let go." Spain said as he turned to the other. He was smiling again, but Romano felt that the smile was no longer reliable.
"Or you will fight me?" Austria said bitterly. "I told you, Spain, to be careful in your choice of friends."
"As you yourself has been? But Austria, who stands with you now?" Spain said as he raised his halberd. "Empires fall for nations to exist, Austria, it is time for you to understand that. Even the might Roman empire had to accept this."
The event that unfolded was shocking. The victor won, but the spoils did not go to the victor.
"Ita-chan, it is time for you to be united with your sister." Spain said as he turned from the defeated Austria. The battle did take some time, but Austria could never forget the humiliation of the battle.
He knew that it only took so long because Spain did not wish to give him any severe injury.
"Come with us, Ita-chan." Spain continued. "I will help you two to rebuild Italy."
This ought to have been the moment when the two parts of Italy become reunited. After all, this was what they fought for.
Spain knew the siblings ever since they were children, and he continued to visit Veneziano even after they lost their independence. Therefore, the boy ought to have felt that he was someone that they could trust.
In addition, Spain was the one who looked after the other Italy.
Perhaps North Italy was a bit afraid, and this was perfectly understandable. However, all countries sought for freedom.
"We can be Italy again." Romano whispered, her hands stretched out to her brother.
Surely, her young brother would take her hand. The two of them had not been closed and this was partly due to her jealousy. However, she was determined to make it up now that they would both become Italy.
The answer was given in a loud voice- which meant that there was no chance of them being wrong.
"No."
"Ita-chan, this joke is not funny!" Spain broke the silence with a laughter, but everyone could tell that this was very forced.
Of course he was surprised, even Austria was too surprised to say anything to take advantage of the situation.
"I don't…I don't want there to be any fighting." Veneziano whispered. I want everything to continue the way that it is."
Silence descended because no one could believe it. Yet at the same time, if this was anyone else other then Veneziano, then they might suspect that this was said in order for some plan to be carried out.
Spain was waiting for Romano to curse. Due to the amount of time that Romano had cursed, Spain himself could actually curse quite well in Italian now. And he could even curse in some of the slightly more obscure dialects.
Yet Romano did not curse.
Instead, she began to laugh.
"And this is what I always lose to?" she whispered- the laughter suddenly turned off. "Little brother…Veneziano, do you want real peace then?"
Her hands were shaking, but that did not mean that she would miss.
Spain acted due to instinct and he has yet to regret the action.
The gun was fired as he was still too slow. However, it merely hit the horse that was beside Austria and Veneziano.
"…Spain." She did not add any of her usual curses, but it made the name a curse itself.
"Little Romano, I want you to remain my little Romano forever." He whispered softly as he bent down to pick her up very gently, as well making sure that there was no severe injury. "But that is not possible. However, I cannot let you bear the sin of killing a nation."
At first, he thought she was merely murmuring in pain, but he then caught the words. Strangely, she chose to speak in Spanish. Until that moment, he wasn't even sure that she has learnt it. He guessed that she understood as he would speak to her in Spanish now and then, but she has never replied back.
"And is this sin one that you know?" Romano whispered in Spanish. "Is this why I cannot see?"
"You are my first ward, Romano, but you are not the first ward that I should have had."
"…the opposite of my brother then." After she finished this, she switched to Italian again, as this was for all to hear. "North Italy might seek to remain like this, but not South Italy. South Italy will be a nation, and it will be reunited with North Italy."
"That is so." Spain confirmed before he turned to Austria and repeated what he had already said. "Let it go, it is time to let go."
"You heard Italy-kun." Austria said, now back to his formal self.
"Foolish man." This was in a very accented German, so it could not be Austria. However, Spain was no longer surprised at Romano being the speaker. After all, if she could speak Spanish, then why was she not able to speak German?
"Foolish man," Romano continued, "I am Italy too."
The Italy that listened and observed, as well as being the Italy that longed for freedom and had a strong will and determination to fight.
"Italy will be reunited. I swear."
The words would become true and another war would be fought because of this. However, it was a war between Italy and Austria, not South Italy and Spain. Unlike many other controlling colonies, Spain gave what others would have fought for.
Author's Note: in regard to Romano speaking Spanish and German, this just means that she is observing everything around her.